Life-saving device.



T. @.BRADPORD. LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTJ), 1912. 1,056,733. Patented Mar.18,1913.

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coLUMBlA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

y10.131111311012111. LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.10, 1912.

1,056,733. Patented Mar. 18, 1913. Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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13 I ,I Y Zo Z 2 25 20 J3 Z] L9 19 21m 3mm/nto@ CBrad/"ard @XM/bumsen THOMAS c. BRADFORD, or LAMARQURTEXAS.

LIF'E-S-AVING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mal'. 18, 1913.

Appiication led September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,618.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS C. BRADFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Lamarque, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to life-saving apparatus and has for an object to provide a collapsible life-saving device.

The invention embodies, amo-ng other features, a structure which is normally folded in order that the same will take up very little room on a ship or dock and the device is arranged so that the same can be unfolded and secured in unfolded position to form a compartment, the device being of a buoyant nature and adapted to float upon the water.

A further embodiment of the invention resides in a device which can be quickly and' easily unfo-lded and which will readily accommodate several persons, the device being adapted to normally lie folded on a deck of a ship andadapted to float upon the water when moved into extended posi-tion.

4In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this speciication, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the same in open position; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device disclosed in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional .I view` of the device showing the same in closed position; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of locking the supporting arms in supporting posit-ion.

Referring more particularly to the views, use is made of a frame 10 consisting of a series of superimposed hoop members 11, 12 and 13 and a base 14, the base 14 being constructed in the manner of a container to provide a compartment 15 adapted to receive food or water and which is normally closed by a cover 1G fo-rming the floor of the lifesaving Adevice to be further described herein.

The hoop members 11, 12 and 13 are preferably of different diameters and mounted to swing on the base 14 are arms 17 having collars 18 mounted to swing on the upper ends thereof and slidable on supporting arms 19 having collars 20, similar to the collars 18, mounted to swing thereon, the said collars 20 being slidable on supporting arms 21 having rigid connection with the hoop members 12 and 13, thus spacing the hoop member 13 from the hoop member 12, the arms 19 having pivotal connection with the hoop member 11 in order that the hoop members 11 and 12 will be relatively spaced apart when the device is in extended or open position. A casing 21a, preferably made of a waterproof material or canvas of a waterproof nature, is arranged to encircle the frame 10, the said casing being secured to the base 14 and to the various hoop members 11, 12 and 13 with the upper end of the casing terminating in a circular closure flap 22 formed withl the casing 21a and extending upwardly beyond the hoop member 13, the mentioned closure flap being adapted to close a main compartment 23 formed by the casing 21a encircling the frame 10. The closure Hap 22 is normally held in open position by rods 24 mounted to swing on the hoop member 13 and engaged by springs 25 to normally hold the rods in vertical-position with the upper ends of the rods engaging the closure iiap so that the sides thereof will lie in substantially a vertical plane.l Draw strings 26 are secured to the lupper ledge of the closure flap at various points and lthe said draw strings terminate in a single string 27 which, when pulled downwardly,

will move the closure flap 22 into closed position, the mentioned flap being moved against" the tension of the springs 25 which normally hold the rods 24 in vertical position.

The distances between the base 14 and hoop member 11 and the hoop member 11 and hoop member 12 are restricted Sulliciently to permit of the hoop members 11 and 12 assuming the position shownv in Fig. 3 when the device is folded, it being readily understood that when it is desired to open the device, an upward pull is exerted on the' hoop member 13, thus causing` the collars 18 and 20 to slide on the respective arms 19 and 21. Now in order to lock the device in open position each of the collars 18 and 2O has formed therewith or secured there-to a leaf spring 28 adapted to extend into a notch 29 formed at the lower end of each arm 19 and 21 to lock the collar rigidly on the arm. The lower ends of the arms 19 and 21 are enlarged at the points 29a to veo lar thereto a face of the next lo-wermost arm, and which has pivot-al connection with the collar, willabut against the beveled sur-V face 30, thus relatively locking the arms in rigid positionand preventing the collapsing of the device.`

IVindow panes 31, preferably made of isinglass or a flexible transparent material, are secured to the casing 21 and pockets 32 are preferably provided on the inner face of the casing for the storage of rockets or dis tress signals. A

The device is adapted to normally lie on the de olrofgtlie ship in folded position as shown vin Fig. 3 and when it is desiredto use the same, the vdevice isl moved into eX- tended or open position by pulling up- -wardly on the hoop member 13, after which the persons place themselves in the device .or the device can be lthrown overboard and persons can then jump therein. The device is constructed with suiiicient buoyancy to easily {ioat upon the water and if desirable various slight additions can be provided on the device such as folded seats or the like in order to provide for the comfort of the passengers.

IIaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a life-saving device, a frame consisting of a base and a series of superimposed hoop members, arms mounted to swing on the base, arms mounted to swing on the hoop members and having the arms of the base mounted to slide thereon, the

swing on the base, arms mounted to swing on the hoop members and having the arms of the base mounted to slide thereon, @the said arms being adapted to retain the lioop members in spaced relation to the said base, means for locking the said arms to ,secure the hoop members and said base in yspaced relation, a casing encircling the said iframe to form a compartment, a closurev flap on the said casing and adapted to close :the compartment formed by the frame and fthe casing, and means for moving the said flap into closed position.

g 3. A life-saving device comprising a frame,

base included with the said frame and conlstituting a container therefor, arms for supporting the said frame in open position, a. casing encircling the frame to form a compartment, locking means on the said arms @for securing the frame in open andlocled position, a flap on the said casingl and adapted to close the compartment, means for mov- `,ing the said iap intov closed position, and spring-engaged means for normally retaining the said flap in open position.

' In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two'witnesses.

A. C. JOHNSON, D. DANIELS.

Cop'ies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

y Washington, D. C. v 

